Life-saving attachment for life-boats.



. Patented Jan. I, I90l.

0. uvomus. LIFE SAVING'ATTACHMENT FOR LIFE BOATS.

(Application filed May 4. 1900.

(No Model.)

bility to admit of persons clambering upon it,

IlNrTn 'ATENT FFrcE.

OTTO LIVONIUS, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

LIFE-SAVING ATTACHMENT FOR LIFE-BOATS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 665,240, dated January 1, 1901.

Application filed May 4, 1900. Serial No. 15,435. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO LIVONIUS, a subj ect of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, residing at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire, have invented new and useful Apparatus for Saving Shipwrecked Persons, of which the following is a specification.

The subject of the present invention is an apparatus for fitting on boats for the purpose of utilizing the buoyancy of the capsized boat to save the occupants from the immediate danger of drowning.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a capsized boat with the new apparatus attached. Figs. 2 and 3 show details to be referred to.

The occupants of the boat who have been thrown into the water find a firm hold on hempen girths c, to the ends of which wooden blocks 01, readily visible to the eye, are attached as handles, which by their buoyancy hold the girth above water. These girths are attached to a lath b, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) having openings to receive them and which runs all around the boat above the water-line when capsized. The girths introduced doubled through the openings e of the lath should be of such length that the block cl, attached to the girth, is carried over the gunwale, so as to project about a foot inwardly for carriage when the boat is upright. The double girth is sewed at suitable distances apart, so as to form loops 2, as shown, through which an arm may be inserted, partly designed for the purpose of enabling persons to draw themselves nearer to the boat side and partly to ofier them a more convenient hold in the case of exhaustion. When, as is often the case with small boats, the vessel possesses too little stathese girths nevertheless afford a means of keeping the head above water. With larger boats which possess the necessary stability additional means of aid may be provided in order to enable, at any rate, a certain number of people to climb upon the keel and so ob tain a convenient position where they can recover their strength. For this end at a suitable distance from the keel 5 a second lath a is provided, likewise having openings 6, but so arranged that it ofiers a convenient hold for the hands. At front and back it runs to a point, so as to form a second keel and impede the passage of the boat through the water as little as possible. Should the distance from b to a in the case of large boats be too great in order to enable a person to reach so far, either a third lath is provided between a and b or long girths 3 and loops 4, extending toward the girths c, are provided. The lower part of the doubled portion of this loop must be made fast to the boat to prevent loose articles being entangled and from being drawn through the water. Finally holes 6 are bored in the keel at the front and back through which a thin endless wire rope '7 is drawn. This wire rope is for the purpose of giving the hands the necessary hold when the person wishes to swing himself up onto the keel.

For the purpose of affordinga readier hold on the wire rope as far as necessary wooden blocks f, Figs. 1 and 3, are provided at suitable distances apart on the rope and kept in position by knots or the like. These afford good handholds and protect the hands from contact with the metal of the rope, especially in cold weather. For persons sitting astride the keel the lath a also offers a convenient hold for the feet, while the wire rope grasped by the hands gives complete support against lateral motion.

I claim 1. In combination with a boat, laths passing around the outside planking of the boat above the water line when capsized, and straps or girths secured to said laths, having loops along their lengths and floats at their free ends,said straps being of sufficient length in g loops along their length and floats at their free ends, and an endless wire rope passing through holes at the front and rear of the keel and extending therealong, and wooden handholds on said rope.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

OTTO LIVONIUS.

Witnesses HENRY HASPER, WOLDEMAR I-IAUPT. 

